Counter assemblage



M. M. HENNESSY COUNTER AS SEMBLAGE March 18, 1941.

Filed Nov. 20, 1939 Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COUNTER ASSEMLBLAGE Application November 20, 1939, Serial No. 305,310

12 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in the art of registering, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of counter assemblages which are adapted to perform certain operations when the indicating elements have moved a predetermined distance.

Generally defined, an object of my present invention is to provide an improved counter assemblage which is adapted to quickly and effectively trip or release mechanisms of various types for action, whenever the counter wheels have moved into a predetermined position; and which may be quickly and accurately pre-set to produce any desired subsequent operation or registration.

In certain industries such as oil well drilling, it frequently becomes desirable to perform some operation such as inserting a plug or perforating a casing, at some definite depth within a conduit. For such purposes, it is desirable to utilize a carriage or member of some kind which may be readily advanced along the interior of the conduit, in conjunction with a registering device such 2 as a counter for positively stopping the travel of the carriage when the predetermined location has been reached by the carriage. In order to quickly stop the travelling member when advancing at relatively high speed along the well casing, conter mechanism which is necessarily rather frail and sensitive, should not be subjected to undue stress when the powerful stop mechanism is set for action preparatory to stopping and locking the travelling carriage. The counter, in an assemblage of this type, should be thoroughly protected against damage; should also be adapted for rapid and convenient pre-setting, should moreover be readily removable for inspection and replacement fromits housing casing; and should furthermore be prevented from rotating reversely when its carrying element is withdrawn from the well casing. So far as known, none of the prior counter assemblages have been well adapted for such varied service, nor have they met all requirements imposed by such usage; and the previous counting devices have therefore been unsatisfactory for depth measuring and well plugging or similar purposes.

It is therefore a more specific object of my invention to provide an improved counter assembl-age which is adapted to quickly and efiectively trip relatively heavily loaded power mechanisms, and wherein the delicate counting mechsiderable power may be requiredi but the coun :anism is not stressed or interfered with due to loading of the power mechanism.

Another specific object of this invention is to provide an improved trip mechanism operable by a counter having a series of numeral wheels, and which will permit convenient pre-setting of the counter wheels so as to insure operation of the trip mechanism when any predetermined or definite count has been effected.

A further specific object of the invention is to provide an improved counter mechanism for actuating a trip lever or the like when the counter is rotated in one direction, and in which the counter will not be affected by rotation of its driving elements in the opposite direction.

Still another specific object of my present invention is to provide an improved subtraction counter assembly which may be pre-set to perform a definite function when all of the numeral wheels thereof reach zero position, and which can be manufactured at moderate cost.

An additional specific object of my invention is to provide an improved protective housing for a counter and trip assemblage, and means for effecting convenient insertion and removal of the counter with respect to the housing.

Another additional object of this invention is to provide a simple, compact and durable multiple wheel counter and trip mechanism which may be utilized for diverse purposes, and the various parts of which may be readily constructed and assembled to provide a most efiicient counter unit.

These and other specific objects and advantages of my present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, and the present improved counter is especially applicable to conduit measuring and well plugging assemblages such as shown and described in my copending application, Serial No. 303,085, filed November 6, 1939.

A clear conception of the several features constituting my present improvement, and of the construction and operation of counters built in accordance with the invention, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and form-- ing .a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one of my improved counter assemblages housed within a tubular casing (in section) and showing the latch mechanism set in solid lines, and released in dot-anddash lines;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the counter and latch assembly of Fig. 1, taken along the line 2-2 and showing the latch mechanism released;

Fig. 3 is a similar transverse section through the assembly of Fig. 1, also taken along the line 2-2 but showing the latch mechanism set;

Fig. 4 is another transverse section through the counter and latch assembly of Fig. 1, taken along the line 5- 5 and showing the manner in which the counter may be removed from the tubular housing;

Fig. 5 is still another transverse section through the assembly of Fig. 1, taken along the line -5-5 and showing the counter wheel retaining hook in active position in solid lines, and in released position in dot-and-dash lines;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged central longitudinal section through portions of several of the counter numeral wheels;

Fig. '7 is a similarly enlarged transverse section through the counter of Fig. 6, taken along the line !--T; and

Fig. 8 is a likewise enlarged transverse section through the counter of Fig. 7, taken along the line 88.

While I have specifically shown and described my invention as being applied to subtraction counter of the multiple numeral wheel type cooperating with a trip mechanism especially adapted for use in well plugging devices, it is not the intent to unnecessarily restrict the scope or utility of the improvement by virtue of such specific embodiment of the improved features.

Referring to the drawing, the improved counter and trip mechanism assemblage shown therein,

- comprises in general, a counter wheel supporting frame having separated end members or heads It rigidly interconnected by parallel rods ll, I2 and having shafts l3, l4 journalled therein and disposed parallel to the rods H, l2; a series of six similar numeral wheels [5 of successively higher order proceeding away from the unit wheel I5, rotatably supported upon and slidable along the rotary shaft I3, and each having a cam or hub section I 6 provided with a peripheral notch H; a series of five mutilated pinions I8 rotatably mounted'upon the fixed rod H and drivingly interconnecting the adjacent numeral wheels l5; bevel gearing IQ for imparting rotation to the counter wheel supporting shaft I3; a disk 20 rigidly attached to the shaft l3 and carrying a spring pressed pawl 2| which coacts with a ratchet wheel 22 rigidly attached to the unit counter wheel 15 to impart rotation from the shaft l3 to the wheel H5 in one direction only; a series of six trip pawls 23 swingably suspended from the fixed rod I2 and each having a rounded end projection 24 cooperable with one of the notches H, and also having a hook 25 and an abutment 26; a tension spring 21 connecting a pin 28 on each pawl 23 with the shaft l4, and tending to force the corresponding pawl projection 24 into snug engagement with the periphery of the adjacent cam. section I6; a tubular casing or housing 29 with the interior of which the frame heads l0 are snugly cooperable, and having a side opening normally closed by a removable cover 30, but through which the counter assembly is insertible or removable; a curved pawl release lever 3| secured to the shaft l4 and swingable about the shaft axis by a relatively strong tension spring 32 so as to cause projecting plates 33 carried by the shaft M to engage the pawl abutments 26 and lift the pawls 23 away from the cam sections it when the cover 30 is removed; a latch lever 34 swingably suspended within the housing 29 by a pivot pin 35 coacting with a bracket 36 and having a latch retaining and release cam 31; a rod 38 slidable by means of a fluid pressure actuated bellows 39 in a partition 40 disposed within the housing 29, and having an abutment collar 4! cooperable with a hook lever 42 with which the cam 3! is in turn cooperable; and an axially movable work performing rod 43 which is slidable longitudinally within the tubular housing 29 by means of fluid under pressure within the bellows 39 acting upon the intervening rod 38 and crosshead 44, when the hook lever 42 is withdrawn from the collar 4|.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, the end membars or heads ID of the counter frame are formed to normally snugly engage the interior of the tubular housing 29 while providing proper clearances for the rod 43 and for the movable latch lever 34; and the frame heads it? are normally secured within the housing 29 by thumb screws 45 which also serve to hold the cover 30 in place. Upon removal of the cover 30 as in Fig. 4, the fastenings for the frame heads It! are also released, and the entire counter assemblage may then be swung in a clockwise direction from normal position as in Fig. 2 about the central axis of the housing 29, until the uppermost edges of the end walls In clear the right hand edge of the housing opening. The counter assemblage may thereafter be withdrawn as a unit, laterally away from the housing axis as shown in Fig. 4, and removed through the side opening in the tubular housing 29. Reinsertion of the counter assemblage may be just as readily effected by reversing the procedure; and it is to be noted that when the cover 30 is removed, the pawl release lever 3| will be swung by the spring 32 through the housing opening to the position shown in Fig. 4, thereby causing the projections 33 to engage all of the pawls 23 and to swing these pawls away from the peripheries of the hub sections l6 of all counter wheels l5. Removal of the closure cover also permits inspection and setting of the counter, and movement of the trip lever 34 into latching engagement with the pawl hooks 25; and the lever 34 will be retained in latched position whenever any one or more of the numeral wheels i5 is out of zero position, whereas release of all hooks 25 will cause the lever 34 to trip.

As previously indicated, the improved counter comprises a series of six numeral wheels [5 of progressively higher order proceeding away from the unit numeral wheel [5, and all of the numeral wheels l5 are of simplified and similar or interchangeable construction except that the unit wheel l5 has the ratchet wheel 22 secured thereto. Allof the numeral wheels l5 are freely rotatable about and are slidable along the driving shaft l3, and the hub sections it are not drivingly connected to this shaft by keys or splines. Besides the'hub section l6, each numeral wheel l5 has a transfer disk or washer 46 and a rider disk or look washer 41 on one side of its notched rim; and also has a numeral section 48, a plain spacing Washer 49, an enlarged groove forming plate 50, and a driving or transfer gear 5! on the opposite-side of its notched rim; all of these elements being rigidly united by rivets 52, see Figs. 6, 7 and 8. The numeral section 48 of each numeral wheel l5 has a series of equally spaced numerals 53 ranging from zero to nine, which are definitely spaced with respect to the notch I! of the corresponding wheel; and the sections 48 cooperate with the adjacent disks or plates 49, 50 to form peripheral grooves 54, see Fig. 6. The mutilated transfer pinions I8 which drivingly interconnect the adjoining numeral wheels I5, are rotatably and slidably supported upon the fixed rod II, and each of these pinions I8 has a disk and an adjacent annular groove 56 coacting with the groove 54 and large plate 5|] of an adjacent numeral wheel I5, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6. Each pinion I8 has eight teeth of which the four teeth 51 extend entirely across the pinion and are adapted to coact not only with the adjacent teeth of the transfer washer 46 and gear 5|, but also with a notch 58 in the adjacent lock washer 41; while the teeth 59 are shorter and do not engage the notch '58 at any time. The assemblage is obviously such, that it requires one complete revolution of each numeral wheel I5 of lower order, to cause one-tenth of a revolution of the adjacent numeral wheel I5 of next higher order; and the numerals 53 may be arranged to either subtract from or add to the total indication made by the counter. As shown, the successive units, tens, etc., are subtracted from any predetermined total to which the counter has been set, and the trip lever 34 is released when zero position of indication has been reached by all numeral wheels I5.

In order to permit pre-sett-ing .or re-setting of the counter numeral wheels I5, it is necessary to cause each pinion I8 to disengage at least one of the two adjacent numeral wheels I5, by relatively shifting the wheels I5, and their pinions along the shaft I3 and rod H. Each of the pinions I8 by virtue of the coaction of its disk 55 with the plate 50 of the adjacent Wheel I5, is laterally shiftable with that wheel, and while the adjacent wheels I5 and pinions I8 are normally disposed as shown in Fig. 6, I haveproyided simple but effective means for releasing the wheels and their pinions, this means comprising a hook 80 sWin-gably suspended from one of the frame heads I II by a pivot pin 6'I as illustrated in Fig. 5. The hook 65 is adapted to be positioned as shown in solid lines in Fig. 5, in order to prevent axial displacement of the wheels I5 and pinions I8 when the counter is in operating condition; but the hook may be swung outwardly through the housing opening when the cover 30 is removed, as shown in dot-and-dash lines, so as to permit free shifting and separation of the numeral Wheels I 5 and pinions I8, sufIic-ient to permit setting of .the wheels I5. When the numeral wheels and their pinions have been separated sufficiently to cause the long pinion teeth 51 to disengage the teeth of the transfer disk 46, the numeral wheels I5 may be rotated freely for pre-setting; but when the series of wheels I5 and pinions I8 have been brought back to proper position as in Fig. 6, and the hook 60 has been restored at the end of the numeral wheel of highest order, the wheels I5 cannot separate, and the cover 30 will then prevenlt displacement of the hook 68 sufliciently to permit separation of the counter wheels.

The counter wheels I5, pinions I8, driving ratchet, latch pawls 23, and hook 60 are all carried by and are transferable with the frame heads I0, as a unitary structure, and the driving gears I9 may be rotated from any desired source of pro pulsion.

While I have shown a specific type of power mechanism with which the trip lever 34 coacts when the counter wheels I5 reach a predetermined position, this mechanism is merely illustrative and constitutes no specific part of my present invention. The fluid pressure actuated bellows 39 which normally exerts considerable pressure against and axially of the rod 38, may be replaced by a compression spring or the like; and while this power or pressure is exerted through the abutment 4I against the latch lever 42 and cam 31, it does not affect the lever 34 and latch pawls 23, and therefore does not interfere with the normal operation of the counter assemblage. When the trip mechanism is actuated, the bellows 39 causes the rod 43 to move longitudinally with considerable force, and this motion can be utilized to perform useful work of any desired kind. The counter trip mechanism may be set or released manually upon removal of the cover 30, and the lever 31 will automatically retain the lever '34 in set position when the cover 30 is removed so that the power mechanism will not be released for action during setting of the counter.

During normal operation of my improved counter and trip mechanism, the parts are or dinarily disposed as shown in Fig. 1, with the trip lever 34 engaged by one or more of the pawls 23 and with the projections 24 of the lever engaging pawls 23 riding on the circular periphery of the hub sect-ion I6 of the corresponding numeral wheel or wheels I5. As the gearing I9 is rotated in one direction, the shaft I3 and disk 20 will be rotated, thereby causing the pawl M to rotate the unit numeral wheel I5 through the ratchet wheel 22, and shaft I3, will not however impart rotation to the unit wheel I5. The rotation of the wheel I5 causes the numeral wheels I5 of higher order,

to rotate intermittently by correspondingly shorter steps, or at correspondingly slower speeds, until all of the notches ll of the several wheels I5 reach a position of alinement parallel to the shaft I3. the wheels I5 will be in zero indicating position, and the projections 24 of all of the trip pawls 23 will then be forced into the adjacent notches I! by the springs 21 thereby releasing the trip lever 34. It will therefore be noted that if the initial setting of the counter wheels I5 is for say one thousand, seven hundred and fifty units or operations, this number will be reduced by one unit or operation for each one-tenth of a revolution of the unit number wheel I5, and the trip lever 34 will be completely released from all trip pawls 23 when the total number of uni-ts or operations has been completed.

In order to again pre-set the counter and the trip mechanism after completion of the count and release of the latter, it is only necessary to remove the cover 30, whereupon the bent lever 3| will automatically raise all of the trip pawls 23 out of engagement with .the numeral wheel hub sections I6. The hook 68 may then be swung clear of the counter numeral wheels I5, after which these wheels may be separated and freely rotated to the desired positions. After the wheels I5 have been properly set and restored to normal driving position, the hook may be returned to proximity with the shaft I3, thereby completing the counter resetting operation, and it is to be noted that the hook 69 cannot be thus restored to retaining position unless all of the pinions I8 have been returned to proper driving engagement with the adjacent transfer disks 46 and notches 58. When the numeral wheels I5 have been properly set and locked in position, the trip lever 34 may be returned to set position in engagement with the pawl hooks 23. The cover When this position is reached, all of Reverse rotation of the gearing I9 30 may then be applied to the housing opening and fastened in place thereby completing the presetting operation, and returning the release lever 35 to released position within the counter housmg.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that my present invention provides an improved counter assemblage which is extremely simple and com-pact in construction, and which is adapted to quickly and effectively trip relatively heavily loaded power mechanisms without subjecting the counting mechanism to undue stress or strain during norm-a1 operation thereof. The improved counter assemblage embodies relatively simple numeral Wheels which can be readily manufactured and assembled and which may be conveniently pro-set to insure operation of the trip mechanism when a predetermined number of units have been counted or operations have been performed. While the counter wheels may be rotated in one direction, the improved ratchet mechanism will prevent rotation thereof in the opposite direction du to reversal of the rotation of the initial driving mechanism. The subtraction counter assemblage may be conveniently p re-set to the predetermined number of operations which are to be performed, and the trip mechanism will be actuated when all wheels reach zero position, and the assemblage is especially adapted to be inser ted within and confined in a tubular housing of relatively small diameter. The counter assemblage may obviously be used for diverse purposes and may be manufactured and sold at moderate cost.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to the precise mode of use, herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a counter assemblage, a series of numeral wheels rotatable about a common axis and each having a numeral bearing rim and a peripheral notch, motion transfer means interconnecting the adjacent numeral wheels, a trip pawl coperable with said notch of each of said wheels, a trip lever swingable about an axis disposed transversely of said series axis and being engageable by said trip pawls when said pawls are out of engagement with said notches, and power mechanism movable parallel to said series axis and being operable to move said trip lever when all of said pawls engage all of said wheel notches, said wheels being substantially relieved of pressure exerted by said mechanism at all times,

2. In a counter assemblage, a series of numeral wheels rotatable about a common axis and each having a numeral bearing rim and a peripheral notch, motion transfer pinions interconnecting the adjacent numeral wheels, a trip pawl cooperable with said notch of each of said wheels, each of said pawls being spring pressed toward the adjacent wheel and having a hook portion, a

trip lever swingable about an axis disposed transversely of said common axis and being engageable with said hook portions of said trip pawls, and power mechanism movable parallel to said common axis and being operable to swing said trip lever when all of said hook portions are released by engagement of said pawls with said wheel notches, said wheels being substantially relieved of pressure exerted by said mechanism at all times.

3. In a counter assemblage, a series of numeral wheels rotatable about a common axis and each having a numeral bearing rim and a peripheral notch, motion transfer means interconnecting the adjacent numeral wheels, a trip pawl cooperable with said notch of each of said wheels, a trip lever fulcrumed beyond an end of said series to swing about an axis transverse to said common axis and being cooperable with all of said trip pawls, power mechanism having a member movable parallel to said common axis and operable to swing said trip lever about said transverse axis when all of said pawls engage all of said wheel notches, and common means for positively moving all of said pawls away from the adjacent wheels and into engaging position relative to said trip lever.

4. In a counter assemblage, a series of humeral wheels rotatable about a common axis and each having a numeral bearing rim and a peripheral notch, means for transferring motion from each of said wheels to the adjacent wheel, a trip pawl spring pressed toward said notch of each of said Wheels, a trip lever fulcrumed to swing about a transverse axis remote from said wheel series and having a portion extending parallel to said common axis engageable by said pawls, power mechanism movable parallel to said common axis and operable to swing said trip lever when said wheels reach a predetermined position relative to the cooperating pawls, and a spring urged lever for positively moving all of said pawls out of engagement with the adjacent wheels and toward trip lever engaging position.

5. In a counter assemblage, a tubular housing having side opening, a frame insertible through said opening and being disposable in snug coaction with the interior of said housing, a series of numeral wheels rotatably supported solely by said frame, means for transferring motion from each of said wheels to an adjacent wheel, a trip pawl coacting with the periphery of each of said wheels, and a trip lever swingably suspended within said housing independently of said frame and being engageable by all of said pawls.

6. In a counter assemblage, a tubular housing having an opening, a frame mounted within said housing adjacent said opening, a series of numeral wheels rotatably supported by said frame and each having a peripheral notch, a trip pawl cooperable with said notch of each of said wheels, common means for moving all of said pawls out of engagement with said wheels, and a closure for said housing opening cooperating with said common moving means to render the same ineifective when said closure is effective to close said openmg.

7. In a counter assemblage, a tubular housing having a side opening, a frame insertible through said opening and being mountable in said housing adjacent said opening, a series of numeral wheels rotatably supported by said frame and each having a notch therein, a trip pawl cooperable with said notch of each of said wheels, common means for moving all of said pawls out of said notches, and a cover for said opening cooperating with said common means to render said pawls ineffective when said cover is in place.

8. In a counter assemblage, a circular tubular housing having a side opening, a frame having segmental circular end elements insertible through said opening and rotatable after insertion into snug coaction with the circular interior of said housing, a series of numeral wheels supported solely by said frame, a cover for closing said opening, and means for securing said cover to said housing and for locking said frame against rotation.

9. In a counter assemblage, a housing having an opening, a frame mounted within said housing, a series of numeral wheels rotatably journalled in said frame, a trip pawl cooperable with each of said wheels, common means for rendering all of said pawls ineffective, and a cover for said opening cooperable with said means to actuate the same when said cover is in place.

10. In a counter assemblage, a series of numeral wheels rotatable about a common axis and each having a peripheral notch, a trip pawl cooperable with the notch of each of said wheels, a trip lever swingable about another axis disposed transversely of said common axis and being cooperable with all of said trip pawls when the latter are out of engagement with said notches, and a power device movable parallel to said common axis and being operable to swing said trip lever away from said series when all of said pawls engage all of said notches.

11. In a counter assemblage, a series of numeral wheels rotatable about a common axis and each having a peripheral notch, a trip pawl cooperable with the notch of each of said wheels, a trip lever swingable about another axis disposed transversely of said common axis and being cooperable with all of said trip pawls when the latter are out of engagement with said notches, a power device movable parallel to said common axis and being operable to swing said trip lever away from said series when all of said pawls engage all of said notches, and a latch lever interposed between said power device and said trip lever for substantially relieving the latter from pressure exerted by the former.

12. In a counter assemblage, a tubular housing having an opening, a frame insertible within and removable from said housing through said opening, a series of numeral wheels journalled in said frame for rotation about a common axis parallel to the housing axis and each having a peripheral notch, a trip pawl cooperable with the notch of each of said wheels, a trip lever swingably mounted in said housing independently of said frame and about another axis disposed transversely of said common axis and being cooperable with all of said trip pawls when the latter are out of engagement with said notches, and a power device within said housing and movable therealong to swing said trip lever away from said wheels when all of said pawls engage all of said notches.

MARK M. HENNESSY. 

